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Tyler Florence’s Big Breakfast Fry-Up and Cookbook Giveaway

December 7th 2010

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We’ve been writing here at Turntable Kitchen for nearly three weeks now and I am finally feeling like I’m settling in. It’s kind of like starting the 3rd grade. Those first few weeks are tough, but once you’ve got a few friends (ie. loyal commentators – I love you!), things start feeling comfortable. I sure do like the slick new WordPress interface and how big and glossy my pictures look (though it does put the pressure on getting great shots). Being editorially critical with myself is something I love and hate –at least when it comes to writing. Frankly, I have never enjoyed editing. When I would write poetry, I would never edit. I felt that it went against the whole raison d’être of poems: they were meant to be freeing and impulsive. But over the years I have, begrudgingly, come to respect the editing process. Life is all about iteration. If something works well, it’s still worth seeing if it can be made to work better.

When I first started cooking, I hardly strayed from a recipe. I fretted over having 1 tablespoon of garlic when the recipe called for two. Or throwing in apples when the fruit in demand was a pear. But sometimes, accidentally, I discovered that iteration was actually a good thing. In fact, iteration is the reason there is not one, but hundreds of recipes for a chocolate chip cookie –some that call for refrigerating the dough for hours, some that call for melting butter, some that call for chunks of chocolate, as opposed to chocolate chips. If there can be so much iteration around a 6-ingredient cookie, there can sure be a lot of iteration around the possibilities an egg holds.

The egg is the little black dress of the food world. Wholesome and nutritionally-packed on its own, it is a binding ingredient for savories and sweets, makes dishes airy and fluffy, and adds a layer of luxurious ooze where needed. It is my weekend breakfast food of choice. And while this recipe doesn’t require too much iteration, I couldn’t help but tinker…a little.

Behold this ‘serve-a-crowd’ egg fry from Tyler Florence’s new book. Aside from looking gorgeous on a table, it’s a flash to whip together and can be doubled or tripled in size, depending on the crowd you’re serving (and the number and size of skillets you have). Frying the veggies in the bacon grease (plug your ears, vegetarian friends!) makes this just a tad more indulgent than your usual egg fry. There’s not too much iteration to take place here, but there is a contest to be won!

I’m giving away a gorgeous copy of Tyler’s new book! In order to win, leave a comment on this post, telling me one thing you can do with an egg. Good luck! Winner will be announced on Monday!

1. Get out one extra large, or two medium sized skillets. In one skillet, cook the bacon strips until crispy, then transfer the pieces to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.
2. Toss the mushrooms and tomatoes into the bacon fat-greased pan and saute for a few minutes until the mushrooms have softened and browned and the tomatoes have begun to shrivel. Season with salt and pepper before transferring the veggie mixture to a plate.
3. If using 2 medium skillets, add olive oil to both (the bacon fat-smeared one may not need much) and heat over low heat.
4. Crack 4 eggs into each medium-sized skillet (or 8 into one) and cook them sunnyside up (until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny).
5. Remove the skillet (s) from the heat and top evenly with the veggie mixture. Toss the bacon pieces on top, distributing evenly. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with some fresh thyme leaves. Serve directly from the skillet (s).
Musical Pairings: The Kinks – Something Else By the Kinks

Head to the Turntable for today’s pairing for the Kinks – Something Else by the Kinks.

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Kasey is the food editor and co-founder of Turntable Kitchen. She loves dark chocolate, warm crusty bread, and traveling to new places. She speaks Russian, but does not like vodka.

Emma Lee

I love how much you love breakfast! The most important meal for sure. 😀

One of my favorite (non breakfast) things to do with eggs is make bread pudding. It’s great to use up extra bread bits. Here’s how I make mine:
Mix 2 eggs, soy milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Crumble bread into a mixing bowl, and pour mixture over it. Let it soak in the fridge for 2 hours. Then cook it in a small loaf pan until the top is golden brown and sprinkle sugar on top. It makes for a crunchy, yet fluffy/custardy, yet gooey dessert. I make it all the time as an after dinner or late night warm delight.

Isn’t that a great cookbook. I have yet to try a recipe and may have to give this one a whirl – you have made it look and sound delicious. As well Lenny is a HUGE egg fan!! Our current favorite egg dish is baked eggs; they are great at breakfast and slide nicely into an egg dinner as well.

These days I make breakfast tacos by scrambling eggs with whatever is in the fridge and wrap it in a warm corn tortilla. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a perfect poached egg, though. Tyler Florence is kind of adorable 🙂

This looks really yummy! I sometimes wake up on Sunday morning and feel like fried eggs but if I have a lot of ingredients that go well in an omlet then I feel guilty letting them sit neglected in my fridge. This is the best of both worlds! I don’t eat bacon, though, so I guess I will have to sub in soy bacon 😉

George A.

I take some onion, roughly chop it, then I cube up some spam, as much as you want. Fry up the onion and spam then scramble a couple of eggs and stir into frying pan and cook until dry. Add some toast, and feed yourself until stuffed.

Art McCain

In my book nothing beats dim sum or a chili-cheese omelet.

amy

I use eggs a lot! Last weekend we made fried eggs over sweet potato hash!

The incredible edible egg…good for breakfast, or dinner in my house. That photo looks delicious.

Kari L.

I love just a good fried egg with a runny yellow yolk. yum

Some Maintenance Required

I discovered fried egg sandwiches in my senior year of high school. I would come home after a long day, throw a pat of butter in the pan, fry up an egg with some fresh spinach and mushrooms, toss it all between two pieces of wheat toast and devour. I’m in college now, and fried egg sandwiches remain my go-to comfort food. How can something so simple be so delicious?

Eggs, with at least one you can make a meal! A quote from my first culinary “coach” years ago. But words to live by. My favorite thing with an egg is to take peasant or french bread, left over marinara, and a little parmasean or mozzarella and build the “ultimate”, yes that’s Tyler’s phase, breakfast sandwich. Toast the bread, heat the sauce, grated the cheese, and broil. Amazing, people actually think you’ve worked for hours, so simple!